How Google chooses
Google says local results are based mainly on relevance, distance and prominence. Relevance is how well your profile matches the search. Distance is how close you are. Prominence is how well known you are, from reviews, links and mentions across the web.
What helps you show up
A complete Google Business Profile with the right categories, accurate hours and photos, a steady flow of reviews, consistent business details across directories, and a website with strong local pages.
Why rankings vary
Because distance matters, map pack results change depending on where the searcher is. A business can rank first near its office and not show up across town.
Why Map Pack matters
For many local searches, the map pack sits above the regular results and gets a large share of calls and clicks. Getting in is often the biggest SEO win for a local business.
From page two to the map
A chiropractor's profile had an outdated category, few photos and only a handful of reviews. After fixing the category, adding photos and asking every patient for a review, the practice began appearing in the map pack for nearby searches.
Common mistakes
Keyword stuffing the business name
Adding keywords to your name breaks Google's rules and can get your profile suspended.
Wrong primary category
Your main category strongly affects which searches you show for. Choose the most accurate one.
Inconsistent details
Different names, addresses or phone numbers across sites confuse search engines. Keep them consistent.
Where we work on this